New Income Opportunities for vulnerable Armenians

Since our last report, twelve Armenian women who are survivors of domestic violence have received training in business planning and management thanks to your generous support.

Four of the women have already launched their own small businesses!

“This project has helped me start a new chapter in my life. Thanks to my new business, I will be able to provide for myself and for my children’s livelihood by doing my favorite activity,” shared one beneficiary who is now earning an income with her sewing skills.

NEF is economically empowering Armenian women survivors of domestic abuse by helping them gain the vocational and business skills to sustain themselves financially. Women participate in workshops and trainings before developing a business plan. The women choose their business focus themselves based on their respective skills and interests.

Once their business plan is reviewed and approved for financing, the women receive guidance from a business coach who advises them through the start-up phase and helps them strengthen their business network. The coach also organizes visits to similar businesses to allow the women to observe how a viable business operates.

Four more women will soon receive financial support to launch their businesses after receiving additional training.  The businesses range in focus from cosmetology to embroidery and agriculture.

Thanks to your generosity, the women receiving this support can escape the cycle of abuse occurring in their homes and take control of their lives.

A beneficiary who started a manicuring business shared, “I’ve learned the skills on how to organize my business, and I’ve also acquired all the necessary items to start my business. Now I will no longer be dependent on my husband’s income, and I can live separately with my kids without fear of abuse by him. I clearly understand the importance of this award for women like me, so I plan to get only the most important items for my business to save the funds for other women.’’   

The women’s enthusiasm for the project is growing as they see tangible results in their financial situations and begin to gain economic independence. Your donation is helping them to move forward with increasing confidence towards a new life for their families. THANK YOU!

The first business skills training sessions begin this month (October) for the women taking part in NEF’s newest initiative in Armenia.

Over the next 18 months, some 50 women will be trained in business and job skills in space provided by SME Development National Center of Armenia, so that these survivors of domestic violence will be able to start their own businesses or find jobs that will lead to their economic independence.

This quarter also saw NEF complete its assessment of the economy and labor market for the city of Yerevan.

The training follows focus groups that NEF and its partners conducted to determine the women’s existing job skills and to better understand why they want to start a business or what they are looking for in a job. 

THANK YOU for supporting this program! Helping women gain skills that will lead to employment may help them find alternatives to their abusive homes.